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The social organization of commercial sex work in Moscow, Russia.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2003; 30(1):39-45.
Aral SO, St Lawrence JS, Tikhonova L, Safarova E, Parker
KA, Shakarishvili A, Ryan CA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Increased poverty, unemployment, and migration place the Russian
population at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A qualitative
study was undertaken to clarify the organization of sex work and describe
the likely contributions of different types of sex work to disease transmission.
GOAL: The goal of the study was to describe the social-organizational patterns
of sex work in Moscow, Russia. STUDY DESIGN: Four qualitative data collection
methods were used: semistructured telephone interviews, semistructured face-to-face
individual and group interviews with key informants, systematic and unobtrusive
naturalistic observations, and geomapping. RESULTS: Intermittent, truck stop,
and railway station sex workers may be the most important groups in the dissemination
of STIs. Sex work is widely disseminated throughout the city. Identifiable
positions in the social organization of street sex work include pimps, assistant
female pimps, guards, drivers, "indicators," the sex workers themselves,
and recruitment "pluckers." CONCLUSION: The Moscow sex market may
be an adjustive response of the social system to the economic pressures in
Russia. Sex work in Moscow has great potential for disseminating STIs throughout
Russia and beyond. Understanding of these issues may enhance the impact of
STI prevention programs.